We usually come to Aspen a couple of times a year to bike the 40 mile Rio Grand Trail. This year my…read morehusband suggested a quick hike up the .9 mile Ute mountain trail to get us warmed up. I heard ".9 miles" and was in! Boy was my sea level (Florida), 58 year old, moderately-in-good shape body in for an surprise. The many switchbacks to the Overlook are arduous and unrelentingly vertical. I think my Fitbit registered something like 130 stairs climbed once we made it to the top. It was eye opening to watch the Aspen natives speed past me (some literally running) as I stopped frequently to gasp for air. Clearly my fitness routine is sub-par, although I can always blame the altitude if I want a good scapegoat! That being said, everyone was friendly, helpful and encouraging. I love Coloradans. We made it to the overlook with stunning views and a working swing. The views are worth the work as we gazed on the town below and surrounding scenery from our rocky perch. The way down requires concentration and lots of knee-power to navigate the rocks, gravel and tree roots. I saw a number of people lose their footing and take a tumble. On the other hand some of the natives were literally running down the mountain with ease. Everything is relative! I would do this again in a heartbeat, although I'm going to step up my aerobic routine to prepare!

I hiked Ute Trail back in September, and wow what a hike! While it was very strenuous (especially…read morefor someone like me from flat Nebraska), the views along the way were well worth it. I'd consider myself an active person, but this seemingly never-ending trail sure kicked my butt! However, my friend who is new to hiking was able to complete it (even though it was really tough on her!), so I wouldn't completely rule it out if you're not a regular hiker. We took the trail all the way up to the Sundeck where the food was mediocre, but the hike was rewarding in itself. The great news is that there's a gondola that can take you back down the mountain, and let me tell you, there is nothing better than sitting in a gondola facing a gorgeous view and letting your exhausted legs rest from the long hike. If you ever get the chance to hike here, I would recommend going in the Fall when the leaves change color!

"Experience this 4.4-mile out-and-back trail near Carbondale, Colorado. Generally considered a…read morechallenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 41 min to complete. This trail is great for backpacking and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are July through October. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. This is a steep hike with spectacularly rewarding views of the Ragged Mountain Range. Start at Yule Creek trailhead. At about half mile at the Y, stay right until you reach a 4 way intersection (with Anthricite). Go straight and start climbing. Once you reach the ridge, follow the to the highest point; that is Marble Point. The ridge trail continues on to Raspberry Creek Loop at the second valley." 1. be sure to have the trail mapped before going. There is no service in marble. (there is no service from carbondale to paonia. So be sure to have all trails pulled up and also directions also pulled up or screen shotted. 2. There is not really a parking lot. Its more like road side parking and its not really obvious where the trailhead is. There are not any signs. Its only a handful of spots. 3. There are no bathrooms or dog poop bags or trash cans. Be sure to plan on packing out what you pack in (including trash, dog poop. human waste......) 4. The trail is remote. The weeds are tall in areas if you struggle with allergies you may want to wear long pants. 5. It is definitely steep! 6. There is a small sign on a tree where the trail forks. Watch for that or you will end up on the wrong trail. 7. The beginning of the trail is in rough shape. You might want some poles for it. Beautiful view at the top! Was a steep climb but worth it! Hung out at the top for a bit and just took it all in. this area is so lovely.

Blazing Adventures provided outstanding transportation service, and we couldn't have been happier…read morewith our experience. The shuttle was clean, comfortable, and always on time, making our travel completely stress-free. Rex was exceptional! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a great experience. His professionalism, warm personality, and local insight made every ride enjoyable. We highly recommend Blazing Adventures to anyone looking for reliable transportation in the Aspen/Snowmass area to Maroon Bells Amphitheater for a wedding party. Thank you for helping make our trip so memorable!

Had a fabulous rafting trip on Upper Roaring Fork with Peter and gang. Just right for relaxing and…read moreexciting balance. All crew took good care of participants and were knowledgeable and friendly!

Love Love this reservoir!…read more Snuck away in-between a music fest in Aspen for the day and dropped our SUP's in Ruedi Reservoir. It was such a delight to see this beautiful reservoir on the western slope of the Continental Divide on the Fryingpan River...yep Fryingpan River...lol! This reservoir is da place for not only boating, sailing, biking, hiking, kayaking, SUPing and camping...it's also well known for it's Gold Medal fishery! If you're lucky you might catch some rainbow trout, brown trout or mackinaw trout. Heck, any trout will do! Campers listen up! They've got 4 campgrounds that accommodate 81 campsites and for all you boating enthusiasts, they've got two boat-launching ramps. We watched as boats lined up and it looked like a pretty smooth operation. All in all we can't complain...it was an absolutely beautiful day and we loved all the cool rock formations and little alcoves along the shoreline. This SUPaholic will be back for sure!

Getting here was a little tricky drive in the winter with tons of snow but worth the drive. If you…read morehave 45 minutes 1 direction to chill out on a drive thru the National Forest go for it!

We had a fantastic day of rafting. Thank you for the wonderful time!!…read moreThe rafts are first rate, along with the booties, wetsuits and helmets. The 4 kids that took care of us were amazing. I say kids because we were the Medicare raft! Dex was our guide - he is nice, polite and very, very helpful. It was our first time rafting and we never felt intimidated or scared. He took great care of us. Schaffer was hysterical and had us all at ease immediately, laughing and joking along the way. The local beer and chips at the end hit the spot for us! We can't wait to come back next year and hopefully have the same guys. Thank you, thank you!

Be careful when you book Online! There is 6% FEE that is NON REFUNDABLE. (and on a $1000…read moreexpedition- its $60!) You can call and book over the phone and not pay the fee, I had to learn the hard way.

The Forest Service doesn't have great information about this hike so I wanted to add some extra…read moreinformation here! This was our schedule for the hike: Drive 12:30pm to 2:30pm Hike up 2:30 to 4 Hike down 4 to 5 Drive down 5 to 6:40 Our house in Basalt is right by the Whole Foods, so plan on a 2 hour drive from there. Sept 23, 2014- high in basalt was low 70s, when we arrived at the site the temp was 52, when we left it was 57. Dress in layers and bring ear muffs if you get cold easily. It was coldest up by the lake. Dogs are allowed on leashes. The way up is definitely harder. It's almost all uphill and the elevation begins at 10,800 so if you aren't used to it, you will definitely feel it. Take it slow like we definitely did and you will be fine. We didn't have our hiking boots with us on this trip and we were mostly fine. The benefits of hiking boots would have been: (1) you cross the stream and it's pretty muddy so a waterproof shoe would have been nice. (2) on the climb down from the second lake, it would have been nice to have hiking boots to prevent the toe crunch. Other than that it's a hike that's totally doable in tennis shoes. The second lake is supposedly only 1/4 mile from the first but it's extremely steep and we didn't find the trail that was supposed to be there. That hike to the second lake took a while. The first lake is prettier so you can skip the second one if you aren't feeling up to it. Bring lots of food, water, TP and a disposal bag to pack it out, first aid kit, and a full tank of gas. You will not find any cell service or anyone to help you up there so make sure you are prepared. There's lots of brush that will graze your legs so pants might be better. We made it up in a bmw sedan but the last 10 miles were a really rough drive - the roughest we've ever been on and we've been on some scary drives. If you have an SUV, bring it. Go very slow and take your time. The last 10 miles will take you an hour in a sedan on the way up, 45 on the way down. Make sure your tires are filled properly, your spare tire is ready to go, and that someone in your car knows how to change a flat. You will barely see anyone on this road. The drive takes longer than the hike (4 hours of driving for a 2.5 hour hike). The drive is absolutely stunning though. The leaves were changing colors - and most of the drive is along a creek. Beautiful. On the hike, the only wildlife we saw were small birds, chipmunks, and weasels. The directions on the hiking sites say at the end of the 10 miles to drive another 100 ft and park by the bulletin board. That 100 ft of road is almost impossible to get up, especially in a sedan, so park by the gate and walk up.

As far as we are concerned this is the ONLY place to get e-bikes in Aspen! Luke was outstandingly…read morekind and reassuring - on the phone and in person. For background, we had a lot of trouble getting solid plans on how to get to Maroon Bells during offseason from people around town or even other bike shops. They were saying they have a limited number of bikes available, not sure how to get to maroon bells at the time, or just closed for the season etc. Luke picked up the phone, gave us proper and direct information, and was so thorough in ensuring we felt comfortable on the bikes, wouldn't get lost, and even had insight on the hiking trails around Maroon bells and the lakes. And on top of all that, he was offering an offseason discount which we greatly appreciated! The bikes themselves were in great shape and were super fun to ride up and down! We were very happy to have the e-bike assist on the way up overall - don't go anywhere else for e-bike rentals, this is the spot!

We reserved bikes from Luke. We arrived for the time we specified and they had given our bikes…read moreaway. Would not recommend.

Make time for one of these snowmobile tours at T-Lazy-7 Ranch, you won't regret it! It's easy to…read morebook, guides are full of history & knowledge, everyone is super friendly & helpful. They are more than happy to take pictures which I really appreciate.

This was my husband and I's first time snowmobiling and we had a blast…read more We did the Maroon Bells sunset tour and it was a lot of fun. They take you around on the trails a bit before going to see Maroon Bells. It's a beautiful view and you spend some time there with a warm drink provided. Be prepared for it to be cold. We do a lot of outdoor activities, but they all involve us moving and generating heat. The wind blowing on you while you're just sitting there makes it very cold. The thing that ruined the experience for us a bit was the rest of the group we were with. They were awful drivers. They kept driving off the trail even when it was very wide. They were also all tailgating and swerving like crazy. They made it so we had to stop frequently because people kept getting stuck. I wish the guides would have told them to knock it off because they definitely weren't following the directions we were given at the beginning. Overall, I'm definitely glad we did it. I'm not sure how often we'd do it since it's so expensive, but it was fun to do once.